Sports Car Driven

The Conejo Valley Days car show was this weekend. The weather could have been better, but the tri-tip sandwhich more than made up for it. I snapped some pictures of the cool cars incluing a rare Mercesed 300 SL  “Gullwing” Coupe and a Foose Camaro recently featured on the show Overhaulin.  Unfortunately I didn’t take notes on each car, so if you recognize a car, leave a comment and I can update the page with more details.

This 300 SL Gullwing Mercedes was my favorite. The car is just beautiful. Honestly, I knew the car was very expensive, but I didn’t know if that meant $100,000 or $200,000. I went to http://www.dupontregistry.com/ and found a simillar car for sale for, ahem, $659,000!  

The gullwing doors, hinged at the roof are so named because the open doors resembled a bird’s outstretched wings. They were necessary to accommodate the car’s tubular chassis. 

The car has the first fuel injection engine. The engine, canted at a fifty-degree angle to the left to allow for a lower hoodline has a Bosch mechanical fuel injection system that more than doubles its power from 115 hp in its original carbureted trim to 240 hp at 6100 rpm. This new injection system, a first in any gasoline-powered car allowed a top speed of up to 161 mph.

To see a car like this in action, check out this footage from Top Gear.  I love this car!

No back seat on this one. Everything from the B-pillar to the rear hatch is audio equipment.

Here’s my ’68 Camaro. It’s actually shared with my dad and brother. I threw in some more pictures from the last show and hope to write a post on it in the near future.

Here’s the Foose Camaro from Overhaulin. Sandy and Ken’s 1967 Camaro is a forgotten family heirloom. After her father’s death, Sandy contacted Chip Foose and the team to restore the car to its original luster. She wanted to capture the spirit of the family patriarch. Turns out Ken bought the car from Sandy’s dad when the couple was just dating. The car’s been in the family since and is now restored. The most impressive work is the interior.

I think the next car to get is a Cobra. They’re just bad ass. The car we have now is black and pain in the ass to keep clean. I think the next car should be a brushed aluminum Cobra so we don’t have to worry about keeping it clean and looking sparkly.

Overall it was a great show. I think with our car we’re trying to decide whether or not to improve on what we have so we can actually win a car show, or, just keep it driveable.

Pics hotlinked from uncrate.com and jalopnik.com.

Hey Jon;

Remember that post you made about being a broke-ass? I have a solution for you son.

Keep reading.

I never thought I’d be writing a “dear Jon” letter, by the way, yet here I am. Anyway, here we go:

Dear Jon:

Sell the Porsche dude. It’s a fantastic car that get’s me excited in the right way in all the wrong places, but if money’s tight it’s probably not a great idea to be rolling around in a Pseudo-exotic. But, I have a great solution for you! You wanted something that had practicality, right, something that you could use everyday, didn’t cost as much as a Porsche, and still had a bit of sporting to it, right? Okay, so I added that last part in, but how can you go from a Porsche to a Jeep?

Are you out of your freaking mind?

Anyway, I’ve got a solution. It came to me one day when I was checking out Aussie land for diggery-doo’s and Kangaroo paddies, and believe me, it was a welcome relief from the activities of the day. It’s called a “Ute”, and it’s the sexiest damn thing to come from Australia. Well, actually, it came from North America in the 70s, and then it was ditched and the Aussie’s took over and made it big.

<— Is that not the sexiest “truck” ever made in North America? I mean, look at it. It just screams I AM A CHAMPION. Not only that, but a 6.0L V8 and 361 horsepower makes it a serious contender, doesn’t it?

Why drive around in a crusty old Jeep or a Honda-fucking-Accord when you can roll in the embodiment and manli-badassness? The vehicle that I’ve unveiled is the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck, due for release in 2010, and I’m sure it will be a huge sales success.

Does it remind you of the El Camino or the Ranchero? F*ck yea it should, because it’s basically a modern interpretation of an old classic.

More Information About the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck

From the A-pillars onward, the G8 sport truck is identical to the Pontiac G8 sedan.  In my opinion, that’s a great thing.  Even the interior is the same, minus the rear seats of course, meaning that you get a truck with all the comfort of a car.  While the G8 Sport Truck will likely not have a huge cargo capacity or towing capability, it’s bed and suspension will allow it to carry decent sized loads, and for the average person, it is more than capable.

Unless you’re constantly carting around thousands of pounds worth of crap, the G8 Sport Truck is the perfect solution for people who want the capability of a truck but don’t want to deal with the piss-poor gas mileage or pain-in-the-ass parking/driving qualities.

Rumour has it that it will have sports-car like suspension, slightly tuned up a bit in the rear to handle a payload, and will (of course) be rear wheel drive.  Coupled to great transmission and capable chassis, the G8 Sport Truck is going to kick ass and ignite people’s passion.

And tires.  Pontiac is saying a 0 to 60 time of 5.4 seconds, and that’s with a 6 foot cargo bed.

Awesome.

So there you have it Jon, the perfect solution.  Don’t let me down man!

Imagine taking off from 0 to 60 faster than most Porsche’s, having a 200 mile / 300 kilometer range, and all the while costing less than $0.02/mile? Pardon my french, but fuck yea. That’s what the future of sports cars should be, and the fine folks at Tesla Motors are leading the way.

The recipe to make a Tesla is actually pretty simple:

+ Take one part sexy Lotus Elise chassis.

+ Mix in a bit of chassis modification and lengthening.

+ Add an electric powertrain and a two speed gearbox.

+ Mix.

And bam, you’ve got yourself one hell of a car.

What? Aren’t Electric Cars Supposed to be Ugly and Slow?

Yes, yes they are. That’s exactly what electric cars are supposed to be. That’s also why this one is so ejaculation worthy.

We’re talking about a car that makes 248 horsepower, has a 13,000 RPM redline, and makes 200 pound-feet of torque from 0 RPM. Yes, ZERO RPM. For a car that weighs a mere 2,700lbs (including fuel, haha), that amount of power and torque translate to some kickass numbers: 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 125 mph / 201 kmh. Oh. My. God.

Someone please pass me a towel. Okay, so I’m being a bit vulgar, but bear with me. This already amazing accomplishment gets even better.

Oh, and if you tell me this car is ugly I’m going to have to recommend that you get your eyes checked.

The REAL Beauty of the Tesla Roadster

Efficiency- that’s the real beauty of this machine. The Tesla’s engine is about 90% efficient during normal operation, and 80% efficient under full load. Compared to an internal combusion engine, which are around 20% efficient at best, and you can feel damn good about going real fast. The MPG equivilant for the Tesla is 135 miles to the friggin’ gallon. Why would anyone buy a hyper-compact or a Smart car when you can buy a full-on electric powerhouse that gets double or triple the mileage?

Since depleting petroleum reserves are a major world-wide concern, finding alternative fuel sources is obviously something that we’ll need to do whether we like it or not. Electricity, which can be cheaply generated by nuclear power, solar power, thermal power, and even water power, seems like an obvious substitute. If engineers are able to take the same technology from the Tesla and throw it into a more conventional vehicle we could literally be looking at the future of motoring.

I, for one, am pretty excited about it. I’ve got two pocket rockets (a 1991 Toyota MR2 and a 1995 Eagle Talon TSi AWD) that love to suck back gasoline, and while they’re a hell of a lot of fun to drive, I’d trade both of them up in a heartbeat for a Tesla Roadster, and I friggin’ love my MR2.

What the Press Are Saying About the Tesla Roadster

Good things. Check our Jay Leno’s video about the Tesla, or read it’s reviews here, here, and here.

Now, I personally haven’t been able to get into a Tesla and take it for a spin. Why? Well, for two reasons:

1. It costs $98,000 USD. The price isn’t even a real big deal to me, it’s the next thing…
2. You can only buy the Tesla in the good old US of A. I live in Canada. That kind of sucks. Though, I want y’all to know that if it ever came down to it, I’d move to Texas just to buy the damn roadster. I’m serious.

So there you have it folks, future of automotive enjoyment has been introduced, refined, and mass produced. It’s a damn good day to be a car enthusiest.

PS - Pardon any spelling errors. This was posted from my Wii.

Okay, so I’ve been watching a lot more TV than normal (since I’m unemployed) and recently discovered that I get the Discovery HD channel.  It seems like everybody has a private jet and I’m jealous. 

I was watching a show on private jets the other day and Vanna White has one.  She keeps it at the Van Nuys airport. I didn’t really think that made sense, but what the hell. She’s been pacing with her cheeks clenched tighter than  a drum for 28 years now, so maybe she socked away some cash and maybe she has a crappy jet.  Ahem, on a side note, Vanna White was smok’n hot when she posed for Playboy.

The Americans have created a new weapon of terror.  The difference between a rocket and a bomb is that a bomb releases all of its energy at once, in all directions. A rocket releases its energy in one direction over a period of time.

Behold the newest North American rocket: The Raptor. American tuner and automaker Saleen, the producer of the awesome S7 and S7 Twin Turbo, snatched the covers off of its most maniacal experiment at the recent New York Auto Show.

Powered by a ravenous engine that thumps out 630 pound-feet of torque and 650hp, the Raptor concept is “designed for the premium performance market.” Saleen estimates an asking price of $185,000, which sounds like a relative bargain compared to the S7 Twin Turbo’s dizzying price of $600,000 (Just a side note, this time last year my house was worth more than that, now, not so much).

Trasmission: standard six-speed manual, directed through 20-inch wheels and tires. The rubber footprints are Yao Ming sized at 275/35 at the front and 315/35 at the rear.  

The curb weight theoretically stands at just under 3400 pounds, with 44 percent of the tonnage allotted to the front axle.

Top speed is claimed to be north of 200 mph. Zero to 60 mph slaps you in the face around  3.2 seconds, and from the Christmas tree to the quarter-mile mark will cost you 10.9 seconds.

Saleen says this is just a concept, but it looks too close to production to buy that bluff.  Ironically, the chances I’ll ever drive one are about the same as me fulfilling my fantasies with Natalie Portman, but even if they’re 1 in a 1,000,000 at least there’s a chance.

Yes, I have really gone there. I’m actually writing an article about the famed Diamond Star Motors automobiles: the Eagle Talon, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and Plymouth Laser. What’s more is that once you start reading this article you’re going to think that I’ve really fallen off the deep-end. Don’t worry, there’s a method to my madness.

In the early 1990s the automotive industry was beginning to experience a bit of a sporty rebirth thanks, largely, to import manufacturers. Toyota, Honda, Subaru, and Mitsubishi began releasing cars that were fun, relatively inexpensive, and powerful. Not only that, but these cars were stylish. The trend of boxy, ugly cars was fading and instead the automotive public was greeted to a slough of sleek, sexy automobiles that looked the part.

The “looks” part of the sports car formula had finally been revisited and paid its proper respects.

What was “Diamond Star Motors”?

Diamond Star Motors (DSM) was a joint effort between Mitsubishi and Chrysler. The purpose of this venture was to produce a vehicle that was lightweight, fast, and would gain adoption by the general public. The only vehicles to be produced by Diamond Star Motors were the Eagle Talon, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the Plymouth Laser. These vehicles today affectionately known as “DSMs”.

The main appeal of these vehicles was their platform: a three door liftback, with an optional turbocharger and optional all-wheel-drive. The 1990 – 1994 DSMs could be had with one of two engines: a non-turbo 4G63, a Mitsubishi-made 2.0L four cylinder, which produced 135 horsepower, or a turbocharged version of the that same engine (the 4G63T) that produced 195 horsepower (thanks to 11 psi of boost from the 14b turbo).

1995 – 1998 DSMs received a few minor updates: the turbocharged variant of the engine now produced 210 horsepower (205 horsepower if using an automatic transmission), and the non-turbo engine was replaced by the 420A, a 2.0L four cylinder engine sourced from Chrysler that produced 140 horsepower.

These cars, and this is especially true of the turbocharged all-wheel-drive versions, become enthusiast treasures, and icons of what import tuning would eventually become.

The Main Appeal of a DSM

If being turbocharged and all-wheel-drive isn’t enough to excite you, perhaps it is the incredible tuning capability of these cars that will do it. The 4G63T is iconic in that it can build and maintain high levels of reliable horsepower. The running joke in the DSM community is that “anyone can hackjob their way into the 12’s with a turbo AWD car”. While looked down upon by true enthusiasts, the fact remains that that poorly modifying these cars still yields impressive results.

This is due, largely, to the turbocharged nature of the engine. Up the boost, up the power. While the 14b that was stock is a very small turbo, it is easy to switch it out for a larger, more capable turbocharger and enjoy the increased horsepower and torque almost immediately. In fact, something as simple as adding a free-flowing exhaust and an Evo III 16G turbo (for around $1,000 total) can yield as much as 40 whp. Adding a clutch to the mix won’t increase horsepower, but it will take the car from 14.8 seconds in the quarter (stock) to the mid-high 13’s, and all for under $1,500.

I’m sure you’re probably beginning to see why there are so many of these cars still on the road and why, after being out of production for nearly 10 years, DSMs are still as sought after and as popular as ever. For the “working man” who wants to build a 12 second hotrod, it can be done for under $15,000, including the price of the car.

Why We’re Highlighting the DSM

I own a 1995 Eagle Talon TSi AWD (pictured below), and I can honestly say that it’s one of the most entertaining vehicles I’ve ever owned (aside from my 1991 Toyota MR2 turbo). Try as I might, I can’t maintain more than a split second of wheel spin before my head is thrust into the headrest and I am careening down the road at increasingly higher velocities.

Winter + Snow = dirty car.

But that’s beside the point. We’re mentioning the DSM today because it truly is a sports car. In fact, in the mid-late 90’s, it may have been Chrysler’s only real sports car. It handled well, stopped well, and accelerated well, even if the car was left in stock form. It’s timeless looks (especially the 1992 – 1994 “2GB” version) still look modern and attractive, and there’s no denying the utility that comes with having all-wheel-drive (especially if you live somewhere that snow happens to frequent every now and again).

Not only that, but there’s also the fact that manufacturers have recently began creating vehicles that are similar in nature. Subaru has the venerable WRX STI, Mitsubishi has its EVO, and even Mazda has the MazdaSpeed6. All of these cars have turbochargers and all-wheel-drive, putting them in the same league as the 1990 – 1998 DSM.

The next time you’re on the street, don’t be surprised if some “punk kid” in a 1995 Eagle Talon whomps you when he floors it. These cars are the ultimate sleepers, and anybody who’s willing to put in the wrench time can make them 11 or 12 second cars. You have been warned